Japan has contributed over USD 63.654 million to support improvement of irrigation systems and rural access in Afghanistan.

The funding, contributed through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), administered by the World Bank, will support the following two on-going projects, which are essential to meet the country’s needs to improve the lives of the people of Afghanistan, and the recurrent cost expenditures of the Afghan government.

The assistance from Japan is to co-finance IRDP project to improve the irrigation systems and the broader water resource management in Afghanistan as well as people’s access to services. The contribution will help increase agriculture productivity in the project areas.

2) Afghanistan Rural Access Project (ARAP) – USD 15,000,000

The funding from Japan is also to co-finance ARAP project, which will help rural communities to benefit from all-season road access to basic services and facilities through rehabilitation and maintenance of rural roads and infrastructure.

3) Recurrent Cost Window – USD 33,654,545

Over USD 33 million will be added to the operating budget of the Government of Afghanistan through the Recurrent Cost Window of ARTF, facilitating continuation of the government’s service delivery to the Afghan people.

Japan has been assisting Afghanistan’s nation-building efforts in various fields, ranging from security to economic and social development sectors including agriculture, rural development, infrastructure and human capacity development. The cumulative Japanese assistance to Afghanistan since 2001 amounts to USD 6.131 billion.